The Cobb County Drug Treatment Court was designated an All Rise Mentor Court.

According to a news release from Cobb County, its Drug Treatment Court was one of ten selected from over 3,000 treatment courts across the United States.

All Rise was formerly the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP).  Below are the four priorities the organization lists on its website:

“We believe that the justice system can and must offer alternatives to incarceration that reduce the negative impact of justice involvement and provide pathways to hope and healing for individuals, families, and communities.”

“Substance use and mental health disorders are primary drivers of justice involvement. We believe that there are opportunities at every intercept point to connect individuals with the evidence-based treatment that’s right for them.”

“Recovery occurs when an individual experiences a process of change that includes improved health and wellness, living a self-directed life, and striving to reach their full potential.”

“Treatment courts are the most successful justice intervention for individuals with substance use and mental health disorders.”

Judge Kimberly Childs, who presided over the court until January, said, “Over the past three years, the entire team worked hard to create a positive, safe, treatment-focused environment, and I am delighted All Rise selected them to serve as a model for other drug courts throughout the country.”

According to the news release:

As an All Rise Mentor Court, Cobb County Drug Treatment Court will serve as a national model for effective treatment court practices, providing mentorship and training to other jurisdictions seeking to enhance their programs. The Court will also participate in research initiatives and media opportunities to promote drug treatment courts’ success and impact. Additionally, Cobb County Drug Treatment Court will host in-person visits for teams from other jurisdictions to observe its operations while engaging in peer-to-peer learning to help strengthen the nationwide network of treatment courts.

“I am thrilled at what Drug Court has achieved,” said Judge Jason Marbutt, the program’s current presiding judge. “I want to especially thank Judge Childs for her leadership in getting the Court to this point and the Cobb County Board of Commissioners for their unwavering support of the program. We could not help the people we help without the hard work of the District Attorney’s Office, the Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Community Supervision, CobbWorks, our court staff, the circuit defender, and our treatment providers. I am proud of all of them and honored to be part of the team.”

The Drug Treatment Court is one of Cobb’s accountability courts. These courts provide an alternative to incarceration for individuals whose violations are best handled by treatment, counseling, and education rather than punitive measures. 

According to the news release:

The 18–24-month program uses a combination of close supervision, individualized, evidence-based treatment, and recovery support to hold offenders accountable for their actions and teach them to be productive members of the community. Since its establishment in 2003, the Court has remained steadfast in its mission to address substance use disorders through a collaborative, rehabilitative approach.

About the Accountability Courts

Materials distributed by Cobb County Superior Court describe Cobb’s four accountability courts as follows:

“Cobb Superior Court has four such courts: Drug Treatment Court, which includes both regular and intermediate tracks; Veterans Accountability and Treatment Court; Mental Health Court; and Parental Accountability Court. Various county and state offices collaborate with the judges and staff in operating individual accountability courts.”

The purpose of the accountability court program is to provide an alternative to incarceration for individuals who need counseling and treatment rather than punishment.

Drug Treatment Court

The website for the Drug Treat Court describes the program and its two tracks as follows:

“Drug Treatment Court is an accountability court designed to manage individuals with substance addiction by providing an alternative to the traditional justice system.  

“The Court Is designed to improve the health of our participants, not only by addressing the immediate symptoms of their addiction but also orienting participants to a new way of healthier living which can be continued for the rest of their life.

“The Cobb County Drug Treatment Court offers two programs.  

“The regular track is an 18- to 24-month program, dealing with high-risk, high-need participants. 

“The Intermediate track is a 12- to 18-month program for participants diagnosed with a mild to moderate substance use disorder and deemed a lower risk of re-offending. A risk-needs-responsivity assessment is completed to determine participant placement.”

Mental Health Court

The website for the Mental Health Court describes that court and its mission as follows:

“Mental Health Court is a 24 month minimum, voluntary, pre or post-plea, judicially supervised, treatment-based program for those individuals with a documented mental health diagnosis.

“The Cobb County Mental Health Court strives to improve mental health, promote self sufficiency, reduce recidivism, and offer cost effective alternatives to incarceration and hospitalization. 

“A Mental Health Court represents an effort to increase effective cooperation between two systems that have traditionally not worked closely together – The Mental Health System and The Criminal Justice System. 

“The program will hold participants accountable while assisting them in achieving long term stability, becoming successful family/community members, and remain law abiding citizens.”

Veterans Accountability and Treatment Court

The Veterans Accountability and Treatment Court website describes that court as follows:

“Cobb County Veterans Accountability and Treatment Court (VATC) seeks to divert eligible veteran defendants with substance dependency and/or mental illness that are charged with criminal offenses, to a specialized criminal court. 

“The court substitutes a treatment problem solving model for traditional court processing.

“The veterans voluntarily participate in a judicially supervised treatment plan that a team of court staff, veteran health care professionals, veteran peer mentors, and health care professionals develop with the veteran. 

“At regular status hearings, treatment plans and other conditions are periodically reviewed for appropriateness, incentives are offered to reward adherence to court conditions, and sanctions for non-adherence are handed down.”

Parental Accountability Court

The website for the Parental Accountability Court describes its purpose as follows:

“PAC seeks to address underlying issues that make it difficult for non-custodial parents to pay child support while providing judges with an alternative to incarceration in civil contempt cases.

“The program uses a team approach to meet participants’ needs as they become more accountable for supporting their children.  

“Members of the Parental Accountability Court Team include the Judge, Special Assistant Attorney General (SAAG), Parental Accountability Court Coordinator (PAC-C) from the Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS), Division of Child Support Services (DCSS), DCSS local Office Manager, and representative(s) from the Cobb County Community Services Board (CSB).”

For more detailed information about the accountability courts visit this link to the Superior Court’s Accountability Court website and explore the specific programs you are interested in learning about.